Power pierce arrangement for power operated can opener



Ami 25, 1967 R. J. Sm 3,315,352

POWER PIERCE ARRANGEMENT FOR POWER OPERATED CAN OPENER Filed Aug. 27, 1965 IN VEN TOR.

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United States Patent Oi.

3,315,352 Patented Apr. 25, 1967 Manufacturing Company, a corporation of Missouri Filed Aug. 27, 1965, Ser. No. 483,116 9 Claims. (Cl. 304) This invention relates to power operated can openers and deals more particularly with a novel means for initiating turning of the can prior to piercing the end of the can by the cutting element.

One power pierce approach to reducing the reactive thrust forces required for the penetration of the end of a can by a cutting element mounted on a hand lever is disclosed in the McLean application Ser. No. 386,948, filed Aug. 3, 1964. My invention is directed to a novel and improved means for initiating turning of the can during the time that piercing pressure is applied on the end of the can by the hand lever mounted cutting element.

One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide a power operated can opener of the character described which includes a simple, rugged, economical and extremely efficient mechanism for energization the drive motor and thusly initiating the corresponding of the can as the cutting element is brought into pressure contact with the end of a can and before the end is actually pierced by the cutting element.

Another object of the invention is to provide a power pierce arrangement which utilizes the can, pivoted about the feed wheel, to depress a plunger and thereby initiating the electric motor drive action. The use of the can itself in direct mechanical linkage with the plunger enables the manufacturer to easily preset the amount of force that need be exerted on the hand lever by the operator prior to'energization of the motor circuit.

Other and further objects of the invention, together with the features of novelty appurtenant thereto, will appear in the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawing, which forms a part of the specification and is to be read in conjunction therewith, and in which like reference numerals indicate like parts in the various views;

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary front elevational View of the upper portion of the power operated can opener embodying the inventive subject matter, the operating parts shown in the position to receive a can between the feed wheel and the cutting element;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the can opener unit absent a protective casing and with the can engaged between the feed wheel and the cutting element and its side bearing against the plunger, said can being shown in broken lines and partially broken away; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 1 in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now to the drawing, reference numeral generally designates a body or frame of a typical power operated can opener. This frame can be die cast as a unit or fabricated in any desired manner. Generally speaking, the principal part of the frame comprises the vertical or upright plate 100. In commercial practice, this frame cooperates with an open front box-like casing (not shown), the frame usually forming the front wall and providing the support for the parts of the can opener. The case or housing may be of any suitable design or contour and inasmuch as it forms no part of the present invention and is not considered necessary to the understanding thereof, it is not shown.

The serrated or toothed rotary can feed wheel for the can opener is indicated at 11. This is located on the front side of plate 10a and is secured to a feed wheel shown in the broken lines in FIG. 3.

drive shaft 12 which extends through and is rotatably supported in an appropriate bearing sleeve 10!) formed as an integral part of plate 10a.

Referring particularly to FIG. 2, the motive power for the can feed wheel is supplied by a conventional electric motor (not shown) which is mounted in a similar fashion to that disclosed in the above mentioned McLean application. The armature shaft of the motor is drivingly connected to the feed wheel shaft 12 by means of a gear train involving a helical gear 13 directly connected to a driving gear (not shown) on the motor shaft. Gear 13 is carried on shaft 14 which is secured to and projects from plate 10a. Gear 13 has a reduction gear 15 mounted on its face and rotatable about shaft 14. Gear 15 is drivingly connected to the final driven gear 16 which is in turn secured to the feed wheel drive shaft 12. Thus, whenever the motor circuit is energized and the armature of the motor is rotating, the feed wheel 11 will simultaneously rotate but at a much reduced rate of speed. The motor is controlled by a switch S, the details of which will be later described. The switch is in series in the motor circuit (not shown), being connected with the source of powerand with the motor by conventional wiring W.

Referring now to the front side of the can opener, and more particularly to FIG. 1, reference numeral 20 indicates a pivotal hand lever which serves to provide a movable support for the can cutting element. The cutter element is in the form of a cutter wheel 17, which is mounted for free rotation on the usual stud 18 anchored in the lever 20 and held by screw 18a.

Secured to the front side of lever 20 is an elongate pin member assembly 19, best seen in FIG. 2, and which includes a forwardly or outwardly projecting cylindrical portion. The forwardly projecting portion acts as a can guide and facilitates the locating of the rim of the can between cutter wheel 17 and feed wheel 11. The cylindrical portion extends forwardly from a polygonal, nut-like intermediate head 19a. The portion opposite head 19:: extends through an aperture in lever 20 and through an appropriate bearing passageway in plate 10a. Nuts 21 and 22 are threaded onto the inner end of the pin assembly to hold it in position in the frame. The pin assembly serves as the pivot mounting for hand lever 20.

Located directly below feed wheel 11 is plunger mounting 23. The mounting, as best seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, is formed with or affixed to plate 16a and is shown as having a flattened frusto-conical shape with a beveled front surface 23a forming its outer extremity. A plunger 24 loosely and slidably fits within an appropriately sized cylindrical hole 231) in mounting 23. The plunger is con structed of a metallic half 24a and a dielectric half 24b, which will act as an insulator. Each half forms a flange at its outer extremity with each flange having a larger diameter than hole 23b, precluding unwanted disengagement.

The switch S is located on the back side of the can opener plate ltla and comprises an electrically non-conductive base 25. Base 25 is secured to suitable supports 26, which are formed as a part of the frame member, by screws 25a.

The non-conductive base 25 has mounted thereon the angled and overlapping contact arms 27 and 28. The arms are constructed of resiliently electrically conductive material, and the outer arm 28 is normally free of contact with and spaced outwardly from the outer end of contact arm 27. Contact arm 28 yieldably bears against the inner extremity of plunger 24b, and forces the plunger outwardly in the solid line position as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. When the plunger is pushed in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 3, insulated flange end 24b contacts and flexes switch arm 28 into contact with switch arm 27 as When arms 28 and 7 make electrical contact the circuit is thereby closed lergizing the drive motor.

The hand lever 20 is provided at its upper edge with a :arwardly turned flange portion 20a which overlies the p edge of the basic frame structure 10. The entire ver pivots about the cylindrical projection 19 and may e raised or lowered accordingly. The can lever also lIIlGS the resilient forward can guide 29' secured to the N61 by rivet 30.

In operation, lever 20 is lifted, thereby defining an apropriate space between the peripheries of feed wheel 11 dd cutter wheel 17. The space is sufficient to permit 1e insertion of the rim or flange of a can with the upper d'ge of the rim abutting the cylindrical projection 19 then in position.

With the can so positioned that its rim or flange 31 1 over the can feed wheel 11 9, as best seen in FIG. 2, the cutter wheel will then be lirectly over the end of the can. The user then moves he free end of lever 20 downwardly and presses it in vressure contact, but not piercing, the end of the can hown at 32. The can is now firmly held at a slight tngle away from the vertical plate 10a, lightly pressing \gainst the flanged end 24a of the plunger with a force nsufficient to close switch S. At this step of the operaion, feed wheel 11 acts as a fulcrum point with the can tself being an additional level. A slight but positive amount of force exerted on lever 20 and thusly transmitted by cutter wheel 17 against the can end 32 is sufli- :ient to cause the cans left side, as seen in FIG. 2, to move inwardly against the metallic flanged end 24a of plunger 24. This movement is sufficient to displace the plunger and to make the switch contact, e.g. flex contact arm 28 into electrical connection with contact arm 27. The motor will then be started, and with continued downward pressure on lever 20 the can cutter wheel pierces into and through the end of the can and moves into overlapping relationship with the feed wheel while the cutting continues. The downward thrust force needed on the free end of the hand lever which causes cutter wheel 17 to penetrate through the end of the can is greatly reduced by the simultaneous advance in feeding of the can with respect to the cutter wheel. free end of the lever is depressed and the feed Wheel and the cutter wheel are overlapping in a cutting relationship, the can, which is acting in a lever fashion, keeps the plunger 24 in switch in its ON or contact closed position. The resilient can guide 29 and cylindrical projection 19 both cooperate with the shearing force of cutter wheel 17 to maintain the can in a properly oriented cutting position.

When the can lid has been completely severed and the lever 20 lifter, the natural flexure of contact arm 28 will force the plunger outwardly and cause the switch to break its contact, thus deenergizing the motor and returing the entire apparatus to its OFF? condition.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all of the ends and objects hereinabove set forth together with other advantages which are obvious and which are inherent to the structure.

It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims.

Since many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawing is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In an electrically powered can opener having an upright frame, a rotary feed Wheel, and an electric motor drivingly connected with said feed wheel, the CQmbination therewith of but under the can guideits displaced state and thus maintains the.

Once the a hand lever pivotally attached to the frame of said can opener,

a cutting element mounted on said lever and movable into and out of overlapping cutting relationship with said feed wheel,

a normally open switch controlling the energization of said motor,

means mounted on said frame of said can opener below said feed wheel engageable by the side of a can, said means operable as a result of the inward force of the side of said can toward said frame against said means to close said normally open switch in response to bringing said cutting element into pressure contact with the end of the can to be opened, said pressure contact resulting in said inward force that is transmitted through said can to said means.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said switch includes a switch arm resiliently biased toward the open position,

said closing means having a non-conductive portion, said non-conductive portion contacting said switch arm.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein said closing means includes a plunger slidably fitted within a mounting projecting from the side of said frame,

said plunger including saidnon-conducting portion in contact with said resiliently biased switch arm.

4. The combination in claim 3 wherein said mounting extends horizontally past a vertical plane which would include the forwardmost extremity of the feed wheel.

5. In an electrically powered can opener having an upright frame, a rotary feed wheel and an electric motor drivingly connected with said feed wheel, the combination therewith of a hand lever pivotally attached to the frame of said can opener,

a cutting element mounted on said lever and movable int-o and out of overlapping relationship with said wheel,

a plunger slidably fited within a mounting projecting from a portion of the frame under said wheel, said plunger extending from the interior of said frame past the forwardmost extremity of said feed wheel,

said plunger to be engaged by the side of the can and being laterally displaced within said mounting in response to pressure on the end of the can from said cutting element, and

a switch operable to energize said electric motor upon displacement of said plunger.

6. The combination as in claim 5 including a can guide means also mounted on said lever and operable to engage the rim of a can flange during movement of said cutting element toward cutting relationship with the feed wheel.

7. The combination in claim 5 wherein said plunger loosely fits within said mounting, said plunger being provided with flanges at each end to preclude unwanted disengagement from said mounting.

8. The combination as in claim 5 wherein said switch includes a switch arm resiliently biased toward the open position and yieldably forcing said plunger outwardly.

9. The combination in claim 7 wherein said plunger has a non-conductive end contacting said resiliently biased switch arm.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,995,818 8/1961 Scott et al. 30-4 3,012,320 12/1961 Embray 30-4 3,031,751 5/1962 Hart 304 3,060,568 10/ 1962 Nisenson 30-4 3,130,492 5/1964 Knapp 30-4 WILLIAM FELD'MAN, Primary Examiner. Gr. WIEDENFELD, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN AN ELECTRICALLY POWERED CAN OPENER HAVING AN UPRIGHT FRAME, A ROTARY FEED WHEEL, AND AN ELECTRIC MOTOR DRIVINGLY CONNECTED WITH SAID FEED WHEEL, THE COMBINATION THEREWITH OF A HAND LEVER PIVOTALLY ATTACHED TO THE FRAME OF SAID CAN OPENER, A CUTTING ELEMENT MOUNTED ON SAID LEVER AND MOVABLE INTO AND OUT OF OVERLAPPING CUTTING RELATIONSHIP WITH SAID FEED WHEEL, A NORMALLY OPEN SWITCH CONTROLLING THE ENERGIZATION OF SAID MOTOR, MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME OF SAID CAN OPENER BELOW SAID FEED WHEEL ENGAGEABLE BY THE SIDE OF A CAN, SAID MEANS OPERABLE AS A RESULT OF THE INWARD FORCE OF THE SIDE OF SAID CAN TOWARD SAID FRAME AGAINST SAID MEANS TO CLOSE SAID NORMALLY OPEN SWITCH IN RESPONSE TO BRINGING SAID CUTTING ELEMENT INTO PRESSURE CONTACT WITH THE END OF THE CAN TO BE OPENED, SAID PRESSURE CONTACT RESULTING IN SAID INWARD FORCE THAT IS TRANSMITTED THROUGH SAID CAN TO SAID MEANS. 